Gateway based and centric network management and coordination

ABSTRACT

Gateway based and centric network management and coordination. Coordination and management of delivery of a source sequence, that has possibly undergone adaptive bit rate (ABR) encoding upstream to generate a number of respective fragments that may have different respective bit rates associated therewith, to one or more downstream, user, or client devices is achieved via appropriate communication network management and coordination performed by one or more communication devices within the system. In one instance, a home gateway communication device operates to perform such coordination management of a convergent network or convergent digital home network (CDHN). Consideration of any one or more local and/or remote conditions, parameters, etc. may be employed by such an application to ensure effective delivery of a source sequence to one or more client devices.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS/PATENT APPLICATIONS

The present U.S. Utility patent application claims priority pursuant to35 U.S.C. §120 as a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No.13/726,983, entitled “Gateway based and centric network management andcoordination,” filed Dec. 26, 2012, pending, and scheduled subsequentlyto be issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,042,368 on May 26, 2015 (as indicated inan ISSUE NOTIFICATION mailed from the USPTO on May 6, 2015), whichclaims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 61/734,534, entitled “Gateway based and centric networkmanagement and coordination,” filed Dec. 7, 2012, both of which arehereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and made partof the present U.S. Utility patent application for all purposes.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The following IEEE standards/IEEE draft standards are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entirety and are made part ofthe present U.S. Utility patent application for all purposes:

-   1. IEEE Std 802.1AB™—2009 (Revision of IEEE Std 802.1AB™—2005), IEEE    Standard for Local and Metropolitan Area Networks—Station and Media    Access Control Connectivity Discovery, IEEE Computer Society,    Sponsored by the LAN/MAN Standards Committee, 17 Sep. 2009, 204    pages.-   2. IEEE P802.1Q-REV/D1.5, March 2011, IEEE Approved Draft Standard    for Local and Metropolitan Area Networks—Media Access Control (MAC)    Bridges and Virtual Bridged Local Area Networks, 29 Aug. 2011, 1376    pages.-   3. IEEE P1905.1™/D09.00, 13 Dec. 2012,    1905_1-12-0138-03-WGDC-draft-for-D09, IEEE P1905.1™/D09.00 Draft    Standard for Convergent Digital Home Network for Heterogeneous    Technologies, Sponsor: Standards Committee of the IEEE    Communications Society, IEEE-SA Standards Board, Prepared by the    P1905.1 Working Group of the IEEE Communications Society, 94 total    pages.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Technical Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to communication systems; and, moreparticularly, it relates to communication system network management andcoordination.

Description of Related Art

Data communication systems have been under continual development formany years. One particular type of communication system is particularlyrelated to heterogeneous networking technologies which may beimplemented in accordance with home networking technologies. Forexample, within certain such network environments, as few as one or twoor more different types of different respective network technologies maybe implemented in accordance with a common abstract layer for supportingcommunications among such different network technologies.

As an example, different types of networks that may be implementedwithin such a heterogeneous networking technology environment may bevaried. In addition, while it is noted that such different types ofnetworks may be implemented within such a heterogeneous networkingtechnology environment, the present art does not provide a means bywhich different respective networks may operate effectively andseamlessly with respect to another. For example, within any onerespective network, there may be multiple respective communication linkstherein. Moreover, different respective networks may interface withrespect to one another at more than one node or point.

The prior art fails to provide for effective operation of suchheterogeneous networking technologies in regards to a number of issuesincluding considerations such as network management, neighbor discovery,topology discovery, path selection, network control and management.While research and development continues in attempts to address theseand other deficiencies within such convergent networks employingheterogeneous technologies, the prior art does not adequately provideacceptable solutions to allow for high levels of performance and broadimplementation of such convergent networks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4 illustrate various embodiments ofcommunication systems.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of adaptive bit rate (ABR) streaming.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of adaptive bit rate (ABR) streamingwith configuration communication.

FIG. 6A illustrates an alternative embodiment of ABR streaming withconfiguration communication.

FIG. 7, FIG. 8A, and FIG. 8B illustrate various embodiments of methodsfor operating one or more communication devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Within communication systems, signals are transmitted between variouscommunication devices therein. The goal of digital communicationssystems is to transmit digital data from one location, or subsystem, toanother either error free or with an acceptably low error rate. As shownin FIG. 1, data may be transmitted over a variety of communicationschannels in a wide variety of communication systems: magnetic media(e.g., such as a storage device including at least one communicationchannel therein coupled to storage media), wired, wireless, fiber,copper, and other types of media as well.

FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4 illustrate various embodiments ofcommunication systems, 100, 200, 300, and 400, respectively.

Referring to FIG. 1, this embodiment of a communication system 100 is acommunication channel 199 that communicatively couples a communicationdevice 110 (including a transmitter 112 having an encoder 114 andincluding a receiver 116 having a decoder 118) situated at one end ofthe communication channel 199 to another communication device 120(including a transmitter 126 having an encoder 128 and including areceiver 122 having a decoder 124) at the other end of the communicationchannel 199. In some embodiments, either of the communication devices110 and 120 may only include a transmitter or a receiver. There areseveral different types of media by which the communication channel 199may be implemented (e.g., a satellite communication channel 130 usingsatellite dishes 132 and 134, a wireless communication channel 140 usingtowers 142 and 144 and/or local antennae 152 and 154, a wiredcommunication channel 150, and/or a fiber-optic communication channel160 using electrical to optical (E/O) interface 162 and optical toelectrical (O/E) interface 164)). In addition, more than one type ofmedia may be implemented and interfaced together thereby forming thecommunication channel 199.

It is noted that such communication devices 110 and/or 120 may bestationary or mobile without departing from the scope and spirit of theinvention. For example, either one or both of the communication devices110 and 120 may be implemented in a fixed location or may be a mobilecommunication device with capability to associate with and/orcommunicate with more than one network access point (e.g., differentrespective access points (APs) in the context of a mobile communicationsystem including one or more wireless local area networks (WLANs),different respective satellites in the context of a mobile communicationsystem including one or more satellite, or generally, differentrespective network access points in the context of a mobilecommunication system including one or more network access points bywhich communications may be effectuated with communication devices 110and/or 120.

To reduce transmission errors that may undesirably be incurred within acommunication system, error correction and channel coding schemes areoften employed. Generally, these error correction and channel codingschemes involve the use of an encoder at the transmitter end of thecommunication channel 199 and a decoder at the receiver end of thecommunication channel 199.

Any of various types of ECC codes described can be employed within anysuch desired communication system (e.g., including those variationsdescribed with respect to FIG. 1), any information storage device (e.g.,hard disk drives (HDDs), network information storage devices and/orservers, etc.) or any application in which information encoding and/ordecoding is desired.

Generally speaking, when considering a communication system in whichdata (e.g., generally referred to as ‘data’ such as information, media[e.g., photos, video and/or audio, etc.], files, and/or generally, anydesired information that may be transferred via a (digital)communication system) is communicated from one location, or subsystem,to another, data encoding may generally be viewed as being performed ata transmitting end of the communication channel 199, and data decodingmay generally be viewed as being performed at a receiving end of thecommunication channel 199.

Also, while the embodiment of this diagram shows bi-directionalcommunication being capable between the communication devices 110 and120, it is of course noted that, in some embodiments, the communicationdevice 110 may include only data encoding capability, and thecommunication device 120 may include only data decoding capability, orvice versa (e.g., in a uni-directional communication embodiment such asin accordance with a broadcast embodiment).

Referring to the communication system 200 of FIG. 2, at a transmittingend of a communication channel 299, information bits 201 (e.g.,corresponding particularly to data in one embodiment) are provided to atransmitter 297 that is operable to perform encoding of theseinformation bits 201 using an encoder and symbol mapper 220 (which maybe viewed as being distinct functional blocks encoder 222 and symbolmapper 224, respectively, where encoder 222 generates encodedinformation bits as shown in the diagram) thereby generating a sequenceof discrete-valued modulation symbols 203 that is provided to a transmitdriver 230 that uses a DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) 232 to generatea continuous-time transmit signal 204 and a transmit filter 234 togenerate a filtered, continuous-time transmit signal 205 thatsubstantially comports with the communication channel 299. At areceiving end of the communication channel 299, continuous-time receivesignal 206 is provided to an AFE (Analog Front End) 260 that includes areceive filter 262 (that generates a filtered, continuous-time receivesignal 207) and an ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) 264 (that generatesdiscrete-time receive signals 208). A metric generator 270 calculatesmetrics 209 (e.g., on either a symbol and/or bit basis) that areemployed by a decoder 280 to make best estimates of the discrete-valuedmodulation symbols and information bits encoded therein 210.

Within each of the transmitter 297 and the receiver 298, any desiredintegration of various components, blocks, functional blocks,circuitries, etc. Therein may be implemented. For example, this diagramshows a processing module 280 a as including the encoder and symbolmapper 220 and all associated, corresponding components therein, and aprocessing module 280 b is shown as including the metric generator 270and the decoder 280 and all associated, corresponding componentstherein. Such processing modules 280 a and 280 b may be respectiveintegrated circuits. Of course, other boundaries and groupings mayalternatively be performed without departing from the scope and spiritof the invention. For example, all components within the transmitter 297may be included within a first processing module or integrated circuit,and all components within the receiver 298 may be included within asecond processing module or integrated circuit. Alternatively, any othercombination of components within each of the transmitter 297 and thereceiver 298 may be made in other embodiments.

As with the previous embodiment, such a communication system 200 may beemployed for the communication of data is communicated from onelocation, or subsystem, to another (e.g., from transmitter 297 to thereceiver 298 via the communication channel 299).

Referring to the embodiment 300 of FIG. 3, such a communication systemmay generally be viewed as including multiple networks that caninterface with each other. Generally speaking, such an embodiment 300can include a network 1, a network 2, a network 3, and so on up to anetwork n (e.g., where n is an integer). Such an overall communicationsystem, composed of multiple networks, can generally be referred to as aconvergent network (e.g., in which multiple networks are converged withone another thereby generating or forming a larger communication system,namely, a convergent network).

To interface communications between the respective networks, certaininterfaces (e.g., relays) may be implemented within certaincommunication devices that are operative to communication with at leasttwo of the types of network. In some embodiments, a given communicationdevice may include functionality to interface with more than twonetworks (e.g., 3 networks, 4, networks, etc.). As may be seen in thediagram, an interface by which communications are made between two ofthe networks is via a network interface (or relay). As some specificexamples, communications made between network 1 and network 2 are madevia network ½ interface (or relay); communications made between network1 and network 3 are made via network ⅓ interface (or relay);communications made between network n and network x are made via networkn/x interface (or relay); and so on.

Generally speaking, for a communication device to support communicationswith more than one network will typically result in greaterfunctionality and/or complexity of such a communication device. In someembodiments, a given communication device includes functionality tointerface with and support communications with, at most, two of thenetworks within the overall communication system or convergent network.

Of course, some of the communication devices therein only includefunctionality to interface with and support communications with one ofthe networks within the overall communication system or convergentnetwork. When such a communication device (e.g., one includingfunctionality to interface with and support communications with one ofthe networks) communicates with another communication device includingfunctionality to interface with and support communications with anotherone of the networks, such communications are made via at least oneinterface (or relay) by which communications are made from one networkto another.

The types of networks that the networks 1 to n may represent may bevaried. For examples, such networks may be wired networks, wirelessnetwork, optical networks, cellular networks, satellite networks, powerline based networks, etc. Of course, certain of these networks may notonly operate in accordance with different types of media (e.g., wired,wireless [air], optical, etc.), but certain of these networks mayoperate in accordance with different communication standards, protocols,and/or recommended practices.

Referring to the embodiment 400 of FIG. 4, such a communication systemis a convergent network including interfacing and supporting ofcommunications between various types of communication networks. Thisdiagram particularly depicts a wireless local area network (WLAN/Wi-Fi),a multimedia over coax alliance (MoCA®, or generally referred to asMoCA) network, a local area network (LAN) such as one that operates inaccordance with Ethernet or in accordance with IEEE 802.3, a HomePlug®network (e.g., a communication network operating in accordance withvarious power line communication standards, protocols, and/orrecommended practices and can operate using power system relatedhardware and infrastructure, and may generally be referred to as a PLCtype of network), and/or a wireless point to point (P2P) system (shownas Wireless P2P in the diagram).

Various communication devices are operative to support communicationswith more than one of these various network types within the overallcommunication system or convergent network. Such communication devicesmay generally be referred to as relays that perform the appropriateconversion, transcoding, interfacing, etc. of signals received from andcompliant with a first type of network in accordance with generatingsignals compliant with a second type of network; such a relay thenforwards the newly generated signal via the second type of network. Itis also noted that such relay functionality may be included within anydesired communication device within the convergent network. Whilecertain relays may be dedicated relays within the convergent network,any such type of communication device within the convergent network mayinclude such relaying or interfacing functionality therein.

Of course, certain communications may be transmitted across multiplenetwork interfaces and, as such, may undergo appropriate processing inaccordance with more than one relay (e.g., from a first type of networkto a second type of network, then from the second type of network to athird second type of network, etc.).

In certain communication devices that include such relaying orinterfacing functionality therein, a P1905.1 abstraction layer may beimplemented above the respective media access control (MAC) layerscorresponding to two or more network types. For example, a P1905.1abstraction layer may be implemented above a first MAC layercorresponding to a WLAN and also above a second MAC layer correspondingto a MoCA network. Alternatively, a P1905.1 abstraction layer may beimplemented above a first MAC layer corresponding to a LAN or Ethernetnetwork and also above a second MAC layer corresponding to a HomePlugnetwork. Generally, for a relay device, such a P1905.1 abstraction layermay be implemented above at least two MAC layers correspondingrespectively to at least two types of networks within the convergentnetwork. Of course, for a terminal device (e.g., one not implemented toeffectuate relaying of frames between two or more interfaces), such aP1905.1 abstraction layer may be implemented over a single MAC layercorresponding to one of the types of networks within the convergentnetwork. In some embodiments, such a terminal device may also beimplemented using a P1905.1 abstraction layer to allow the device to beseen as a P1905.1 device and to be controlled by the P1905.1 networkmanagement entity in accordance with a P1905.1 control protocol (e.g.,so that the device will not be seen as a legacy device in the convergentnetwork).

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment 500 of adaptive bit rate (ABR)streaming. ABR streaming is a technique used in streaming multimediaover communication networks, e.g. Internet. While in the past most videostreaming technologies utilized streaming protocols such real timetransport protocol (RTP) with real time streaming protocol (RTSP), ABRstreaming technologies are almost exclusively based on hypertexttransfer protocol (HTTP) and designed to work efficiently over largedistributed HTTP networks such as the Internet.

ABR streaming works by detecting a user's bandwidth and centralprocessing unit (CPU) capacity in real time and adjusting the quality ofa video stream accordingly. It requires the use of an encoder which canencode a single source video at multiple bit rates. The player clientswitches between streaming the different encodings depending onavailable resources. In general, this results very little buffering,fast start time and a good experience for both high-end and low-endconnections.

As may be understood, ABR streaming is a means of performing videostreaming (or streaming of other types of signals including audio, data,and/or any desired type of signal) over HTTP where the source content isencoded at multiple bit rates, then each of the different bit ratestreams are segmented into small multi-second parts. The streamingclient is made aware of the available streams at differing bit rates,and segments were fragments of the streams by a manifest file. Whenstarting the client requests the segments from the lowest bit ratestream. If the client finds the download speed is greater than the bitrate of the segment downloaded, then it will request the next higher bitrate segments. Later, if the client finds the download speed for asegment is lower than the bit rate for the segment, and therefore thenetwork throughput has deteriorated, then it will request a lower bitrate segment. The segment size can vary depending on the particularimplementation, but they are typically between two and ten seconds incertain embodiments.

Among other benefits that may be provided in accordance with ABRstreaming, consumers of streaming media may be provided an experience ofthe highest quality material when ABR streaming is used because theuser's network and playback conditions are automatically adapted to atany given time under changing conditions.

From certain perspectives, the media and entertainment industry are themain beneficiaries of ABR streaming. As the video space growsexponentially, content delivery networks and video providers can providecustomers with a superior viewing experience. For multi-user streaming,ABR technology may require less encoding which simplifies overallworkflow and creates better results.

In some embodiments, a content delivery network (CDN) may be used todeliver media streaming to an Internet audience, as it allowsscalability. The CDN receives the stream from the source at its originserver, then replicates it to many or all of its edge cache servers. Theend-user requests the stream and is redirected to the “closest” edgeserver. The use of HTTP-based adaptive streaming allows the edge serverto run a simple HTTP server software, whose license cost is cheap orfree, reducing software licensing cost, compared to costly media serverlicenses (e.g. Adobe Flash Media Streaming Server). The CDN cost forHTTP streaming media is then similar to HTTP web caching CDN cost.

Some of HTTP ABR streaming is based on HTTP progressive download, butcontrary to the previous approach, here the files are very small, sothat they can be compared to the streaming of packets, much like thecase of using RTSP and RTP.

As may be seen within this diagram, and upstream communication devicemay be implemented to receive an input stream. In certain situations,such an input stream may be a relatively high bit rate stream, and theupstream communication device may include an ABR encoder therein. Theupstream communication device may be implemented to generate one or moreof a number of output streams, such that each respective stream includesrespective fragments of the same bit rate. That is to say, a firststream may include a number of respective fragments each having the samebit rate (e.g., a first output stream including a first number offragments each having a bit rate 1, a second output stream having anumber of fragments each having a bit rate 2, and so on).

Such output streams may be provided via any desired communication systemand/or network. In some embodiments, the preferred communication systemincludes one or more respective Internet pathways. Located in thedownstream path may be a server communication device that receives oneor more respective received streams. Each respective received stream maycompose respective fragments of different respective bit rates. That issay, while the output streams provided from the upstream communicationdevice may each respectively include fragments of the same bit rate, agiven receiver communication device located downstream from the upstreamcommunication device may receive different respective streams that havefragments of different respective bit rates. That is to say, a firstreceived stream may include fragments of bit rate 1, bit rate 2, and/orother respective bit rates therein. Analogously, if second receivedstream may also include fragments of different respective bit ratestherein. Located downstream from the server communication device may beone or more downstream communication devices. Such downstreamcommunication devices may generally be referred to as client devices,user devices, user equipment, and/or any other such reference todescribe a downstream located communication device that may receivesignaling corresponding to the input stream originally received by theupstream communication device.

At each respective downstream communication device (e.g., user, client,etc.), one or more groups or fragments is received via one or morerespective channels allowing communication from the server communicationdevice. That is to say, one or more respective channels may be employedto effectuate communication of one or more groups or fragments of thereceived one or more streams at the server communication device. Inaddition, it is noted that such configuration of the communicationbetween the server communication device and one or more other respectivedownstream communication devices may be adaptive. That is to say, theparticular configuration by which communication is made between theserespective devices may be modified over time based upon any of a numberof considerations. For example, the particular groups or fragments ofthe one or more received streams received by the server communicationdevice that get provided to a given downstream communication device maybe different at different respective times. In addition, thechannelization by which such information is provided from the servercommunication device to the one or more downstream communication devicesmay be modified and changed over time. Any of a number of considerationsmay be employed to direct the configuration and management of thecommunication between the server communication device and the otherrespective downstream communication devices (e.g., including localoperating conditions of any one or more of the respective communicationdevices including the server communication device, the configuration ofa network by which communication may be made between the servercommunication device and the respective downstream communicationdevices, etc.).

In some embodiments, such a network by which communication iseffectuated between the server communication device and the respectivedownstream communication devices may be a convergent network or aconvergent digital home network (CDHN). As may be understood, differentrespective communication links may be effectuated between suchcommunication devices. In some situations, the server communicationdevice may be viewed as being a home gateway within such a convergentnetwork or a CDHN. Such a convergent digital home network (CDHN) may beimplemented such that it is compliant in accordance with IEEE P1905.1.In addition, such a processor within a given communication device (e.g.,the server communication device in one particular embodiment) may beoperative to assess and monitor at least one characteristiccorresponding to the plurality of output channels using a discovery andtopology mapping protocol based on IEEE P1905.1. That is to say, any oneor more tools based on IEEE P1905.1 may be employed to assist in themanagement and coordination of communications to be effectuated betweenthe server communication device can the respective downstream one ormore communication devices.

Moreover, it is noted that while much of the communication describedherein is directed towards and upstream communication device providingone or more signals to one or more downstream communication devices, itis noted that bidirectional communications may be effectuated within theoverall system or within or via any given one or more communicationlinks within the overall system. That is say, a downstream communicationdevice may communicate certain information upstream to the servercommunication device, and such a server communication device maycommunicate information upstream to the upstream communication deviceincluding the ABR encoder, and so on. Again, while the direction bywhich signaling is typically provided may be viewed as from upstream tothe downstream, it is noted that various reverse path or back channelrelated signaling (e.g., control information, among other types ofinformation that may be provided upstream) may be communicated withinany desired communication link or pathway within the overall system.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment 600 of adaptive bit rate (ABR)streaming with configuration communication. As may be seen within thisdiagram, an ABR encoder may be implemented to receive the sourcesequence composed of any one or more types of information includingvideo, audio, data, and/or any other desired type of information. TheABR encoder is operative to generate a number of respective streams eachhaving a respective bit rate. As depicted within the diagram, a firststream includes a first number of fragments each having a firstfrequency or bit rate. A second stream includes a second number offragments each having a second frequency or bit rate, and so on. Theserespective fragments may be provided via a given communication link ornetwork (e.g., the Internet) to another communication device, such as ahome gateway. In some embodiments, it is noted that a singular sourcecontent is employed, e.g., such that all streams 1-n are generated fromthe same content (e.g., the same media, same movie, same audio content,etc.). For example, in one embodiment, the streams 1 through n may allbe from the same content yet each having different respective encodingrates (e.g., all clients are subscribed to this content).

Alternatively, it is noted that, in other embodiments, more than onecontent may be employed without departing from the scope and spirit ofthe invention. Also, it is noted that many different types of channels,networks, etc. may be included within such a convergent network or CDHN(e.g., PLC, Wi-Fi, MoCA, etc., and/or any combination thereof). Forexample, in one possible implementation, client 1 operates using tworespective channels (e.g., PLC and Wi-Fi), and client 2 operates usingtwo respective channels (e.g., MoCA). Of course, as may be understood,variations and changes of which particular channels, networks, etc. maybe adapted and changed over time.

However, it is noted that the respective one or more received streamsthat may be received by the communication device (CD) 1 (e.g., homegateway) may not be exactly any one the singular of the streamsgenerated by the ABR encoder, but rather a combination of individualfragments from two or more respective streams generated by the ABRencoder. In some instances, it is noted that a given received stream mayin fact be an exact stream generated by the ABR encoder, but givenvariability within the communication network or Internet, in mostinstances, a given received stream will include fragments of two or morerespective streams output from the ABR encoder. Generally, all(time-synchronized) streams 1-n are selectable by any one of the clients1-k. For example, with respect to this diagram, clients 1 through koperate by requesting a source sequence (e.g., a [which may be live]streaming video, audio, data, etc. sequence) from an ABR encoderservice. The requests from Clients 1 and k are sent to CD 1 or homegateway. Then, the CD 1 or home gateway operates to regenerate 2 relayrequests based on the its knowledge on networks and platformscapabilities (e.g., such as determined in accordance with a discoveryand topology mapping protocol based on IEEE P1905.1) resulting in thetwo received streams RX stream A and RX stream B which are intended tobe sent to Clients 1 and k, respectively. Also, client 1 may operateusing a bonded channel (e.g., two or more channels operatingcooperatively, CH1 and CH2). Therefore, the CD 1 or home gateway splitsthe fragments of RX stream A and sends them (e.g., using fragmentboundary stream distribution for channel bonding in the convergentnetwork or CDHN). As may be seen in this diagram, RX stream B is passedthrough the convergent network or CDHN and sent to client k withoutchanges.

It is noted that any of a number of respective communication devices mayalso be implemented to receive one or more received streams via thecommunication network or Internet that are respectively composed ofcombinations of fragments within each of the respective streamsgenerated by the ABR encoder.

The CD 1 or home gateway then includes capability to effectuatecommunication or interfacing via one or more respective channels to oneor more respective client devices. The particular connectivity betweenthe CD 1 or home gateway and the one or more client devices may be aconvergent network or CDHN. As mentioned elsewhere herein with respectother embodiments, such a CDHN may be implemented such that it iscompliant in accordance with IEEE P1905.1. In addition, such a processorwithin a given communication device (e.g., the CD1 or home gateway inone particular embodiment) may be operative to assess and monitor atleast one characteristic corresponding to the plurality of outputchannels using a discovery and topology mapping protocol based on IEEEP1905.1. That is to say, any one or more tools based on IEEE P1905.1 maybe employed to assist in the management and coordination ofcommunications to be effectuated between the CD 1 or home gateway andthe one or more client devices. That is to say, it is noted that whensuch a convergent network or CDHN is employed to effectuate theconductivity between the CD 1 or home gateway and the one or more clientdevices, any one or more of respective tools operative in accordancewith such convergent network or CDHN communication protocols may beemployed to assist in the management and coordination of the network.

As may be understood, the various communication devices (e.g., CD 1 orhome gateway and the one or more client devices) may include respectivecommunication interfaces to effectuate communication there between. Therespective manner by which the network connecting these respectivecommunication devices may be understood by at least one of therespective devices in terms of network, bandwidth, operating conditions,local operating conditions, remote operating conditions, and/or anyother respective considerations pertaining to the operation of such anetwork such as a convergent network or CDHN. In a preferred embodiment,a home gateway implemented communication device may serve as the deviceto effectuate such coordination and management of the communication overthe network.

As may be seen with respect to this diagram, communication from the homegateway to the one or more client devices may be effectuated using oneor more respective channels (e.g., such as to client 1 in which morethan one channel is employed, which may be viewed as a bonded channelsuch as including two or more channels). Again, as mentioned withrespect other embodiments, it is noted that the configuration and mannerby which communication is made within such a network may vary adaptivelyover time.

Generally speaking, such configuration and coordination of communicationbetween the home gateway in the respective client devices may beperformed by an application operative on one or more of these respectivedevices. As mentioned above, in a preferred situation or embodiment, thehome gateway may support such an application. For example, the homegateway may request a particular stream from the ABR encodercommunication device. Then, based upon any of a number ofconsiderations, tools, parameters, etc., including those based on IEEEP1905.1, the home gateway may employ information corresponding to theconvergent network or CDHN to ensure appropriate delivery of a givenstream to the one or more client devices. For example, based upon suchinformation corresponding to the convergent network or CDHN, the homegateway may request from a server communication device one or moreparticular streams having certain characteristics.

The operation of the convergent network or CDHN, as directed by anapplication running on one or more of the respective communicationdevices therein (e.g., on the home gateway in one particularembodiment), provides for one or more fragments corresponding to one ormore received streams to be provided from the home gateway to one ormore of the client devices. Based upon assessment and monitoring of oneor more characteristics associated with the convergent network or CDHN,such an application may appropriately request a particular stream fromthe ABR encoder communication device as well as appropriately provideone or more fragments corresponding to one or more received streams tothe one or more client devices. Again, such operation with respect tothe configuration of the convergent network or CDHN may be dynamic, inthat, the manner by which fragments are provided from the home gatewayto one or more of the client devices may vary over time.

Generally speaking, such operation may be viewed as a gateway based incentric network management and coordination to ensure and provide foreffective delivery of the sources sequence to one or more clientdevices. It is also noted that such a home gateway may be implemented asa server communication device itself. In such an implementation of thehome gateway, there may not necessarily be a need for ABR. However,within systems providing at least one feature associated with ABR,appropriate coordination and management of the delivery of one or morefragments corresponding to one or more received streams from the homegateway to one or more client devices may be made based upon any of anumber of considerations, tools, parameters, etc., including those basedon IEEE P1905.1.

As may be understood, having such real-time and accurate informationcorresponding to the convergent network or CDHN, a given application,such as one supported by one or more of the communication devices withinthe convergent network or CDHN (e.g., the home gateway), allows forassessing characteristics of the network, dynamic and adaptivemodification of the manner by which fragments are provided from the homegateway to the one or more client devices, etc.

As may also be understood, a given client device that receives one ormore first fragments via a first channel and one or more secondfragments via a second channel should have capability to performreassembly of those respective fragments if information is received viatwo or more channels. For example, if such information is received viatwo or more channels, such a client device should have capability toperform reassembly and do link aggregation. For a given client devicenot having such reassembly and link aggregation capability, suchcommunication may be configured to ensure that fragments are provided tothat particular client device only be a one respective channel at atime.

FIG. 6A illustrates an alternative embodiment 601 of ABR streaming withconfiguration communication. In some embodiments, the CD 1 or homegateway may be implemented to reassemble the streams for its respectiveclients (e.g., in comparing FIG. 6, FIG. 6 a illustrate swapping “frag1-3” and “frag 2-3”, or alternatively, duplicating “frag 1-3” in theplace of “frag 2-3”. As may be understood, such fragment boundary basedABR stream switching may be performed within a CD1 or home gateway insome embodiments.

FIG. 7, FIG. 8A, and FIG. 8B illustrate various embodiments 700, 800,and 801, of methods for operating one or more communication devices.

Referring to method 700 of FIG. 7, the method 700 begins by operating afirst at least one communication interface of the gateway communicationdevice to receive, via at least one input channel, at least one signalstream including a plurality of fragments, as shown in a block 710.

The method 700 continues by operating a second at least onecommunication interface of the gateway communication device to output,via a plurality of output channels, the plurality of fragments to atleast one of a plurality of destination devices for output thereby, asshown in a block 720.

The method 700 then operates by assessing and monitoring at least onecharacteristic corresponding to the at least one input channel, theplurality of output channels, and the plurality of destination devices,as shown in a block 730.

The method 700 continues by based on the assessed and monitored at leastone characteristic, adaptively providing at least some of the pluralityof fragments, via a selected at least one of the plurality of outputchannels, to the at least one of a plurality of destination devices foroutput thereby, as shown in a block 740.

Referring to method 800 of FIG. 8A, the method 800 begins, during afirst time, by providing a first at least one fragment of at least one(received) stream via a first at least one channel to a clientcommunication device, as shown in a block 810.

The method 800 continues, during a second time, by providing a second atleast one fragment of the at least one (received) stream via a second atleast one channel to the client communication device, as shown in ablock 820.

Referring to method 801 of FIG. 8B, the method 801 begins, during afirst time, by providing a first fragment of at least one (received)stream via a first channel to a client communication device, as shown ina block 811.

The method 801 then operates, during a second time, by providing asecond fragment of the at least one (received) stream via a secondchannel to the client communication, as shown in a block 821.

The method 801 continues, during a third time, by providing a thirdfragment of the at least one (received) stream via the first channel,the second channel, or a third channel (or any combination thereof) tothe client communication, as shown in a block 831.

It is also noted that the various operations and functions as describedwith respect to various methods herein may be performed within a varietyof types of communication devices, such as using one or more processors,processing modules, etc. implemented therein, and/or other componentstherein including one of more baseband processing modules, one or moremedia access control (MAC) layers, one or more physical layers (PHYs),and/or other components, etc.

In some embodiments, such a processor, circuitry, and/or a processingmodule, etc. (which may be implemented in the same device or separatedevices) can perform such processing to generate signals forcommunication with other communication devices in accordance withvarious aspects of the invention, and/or any other operations andfunctions as described herein, etc. or their respective equivalents. Insome embodiments, such processing is performed cooperatively by a firstprocessor, circuitry, and/or a processing module, etc. in a firstdevice, and a second first processor, circuitry, and/or a processingmodule, etc. within a second device. In other embodiments, suchprocessing is performed wholly by a processor, circuitry, and/or aprocessing module, etc. within a singular communication device.

As may be used herein, the terms “substantially” and “approximately”provides an industry-accepted tolerance for its corresponding termand/or relativity between items. Such an industry-accepted toleranceranges from less than one percent to fifty percent and corresponds to,but is not limited to, component values, integrated circuit processvariations, temperature variations, rise and fall times, and/or thermalnoise. Such relativity between items ranges from a difference of a fewpercent to magnitude differences. As may also be used herein, theterm(s) “operably coupled to”, “coupled to”, and/or “coupling” includesdirect coupling between items and/or indirect coupling between items viaan intervening item (e.g., an item includes, but is not limited to, acomponent, an element, a circuit, and/or a module) where, for indirectcoupling, the intervening item does not modify the information of asignal but may adjust its current level, voltage level, and/or powerlevel. As may further be used herein, inferred coupling (i.e., where oneelement is coupled to another element by inference) includes direct andindirect coupling between two items in the same manner as “coupled to”.As may even further be used herein, the term “operable to” or “operablycoupled to” indicates that an item includes one or more of powerconnections, input(s), output(s), etc., to perform, when activated, oneor more its corresponding functions and may further include inferredcoupling to one or more other items. As may still further be usedherein, the term “associated with”, includes direct and/or indirectcoupling of separate items and/or one item being embedded within anotheritem. As may be used herein, the term “compares favorably”, indicatesthat a comparison between two or more items, signals, etc., provides adesired relationship. For example, when the desired relationship is thatsignal 1 has a greater magnitude than signal 2, a favorable comparisonmay be achieved when the magnitude of signal 1 is greater than that ofsignal 2 or when the magnitude of signal 2 is less than that of signal1.

As may also be used herein, the terms “processing module”, “module”,“processing circuit”, and/or “processing unit” (e.g., including variousmodules and/or circuitries such as may be operative, implemented, and/orfor encoding, for decoding, for baseband processing, etc.) may be asingle processing device or a plurality of processing devices. Such aprocessing device may be a microprocessor, micro-controller, digitalsignal processor, microcomputer, central processing unit, fieldprogrammable gate array, programmable logic device, state machine, logiccircuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device thatmanipulates signals (analog and/or digital) based on hard coding of thecircuitry and/or operational instructions. The processing module,module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit may have anassociated memory and/or an integrated memory element, which may be asingle memory device, a plurality of memory devices, and/or embeddedcircuitry of the processing module, module, processing circuit, and/orprocessing unit. Such a memory device may be a read-only memory (ROM),random access memory (RAM), volatile memory, non-volatile memory, staticmemory, dynamic memory, flash memory, cache memory, and/or any devicethat stores digital information. Note that if the processing module,module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit includes more thanone processing device, the processing devices may be centrally located(e.g., directly coupled together via a wired and/or wireless busstructure) or may be distributedly located (e.g., cloud computing viaindirect coupling via a local area network and/or a wide area network).Further note that if the processing module, module, processing circuit,and/or processing unit implements one or more of its functions via astate machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logiccircuitry, the memory and/or memory element storing the correspondingoperational instructions may be embedded within, or external to, thecircuitry comprising the state machine, analog circuitry, digitalcircuitry, and/or logic circuitry. Still further note that, the memoryelement may store, and the processing module, module, processingcircuit, and/or processing unit executes, hard coded and/or operationalinstructions corresponding to at least some of the steps and/orfunctions illustrated in one or more of the Figures. Such a memorydevice or memory element can be included in an article of manufacture.

The present invention has been described above with the aid of methodsteps illustrating the performance of specified functions andrelationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functionalbuilding blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined hereinfor convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences canbe defined so long as the specified functions and relationships areappropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences arethus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. Further, theboundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarilydefined for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries could bedefined as long as the certain significant functions are appropriatelyperformed. Similarly, flow diagram blocks may also have been arbitrarilydefined herein to illustrate certain significant functionality. To theextent used, the flow diagram block boundaries and sequence could havebeen defined otherwise and still perform the certain significantfunctionality. Such alternate definitions of both functional buildingblocks and flow diagram blocks and sequences are thus within the scopeand spirit of the claimed invention. One of average skill in the artwill also recognize that the functional building blocks, and otherillustrative blocks, modules and components herein, can be implementedas illustrated or by discrete components, application specificintegrated circuits, processors executing appropriate software and thelike or any combination thereof.

The present invention may have also been described, at least in part, interms of one or more embodiments. An embodiment of the present inventionis used herein to illustrate the present invention, an aspect thereof, afeature thereof, a concept thereof, and/or an example thereof. Aphysical embodiment of an apparatus, an article of manufacture, amachine, and/or of a process that embodies the present invention mayinclude one or more of the aspects, features, concepts, examples, etc.described with reference to one or more of the embodiments discussedherein. Further, from figure to figure, the embodiments may incorporatethe same or similarly named functions, steps, modules, etc. that may usethe same or different reference numbers and, as such, the functions,steps, modules, etc. may be the same or similar functions, steps,modules, etc. or different ones.

Unless specifically stated to the contra, signals to, from, and/orbetween elements in a figure of any of the figures presented herein maybe analog or digital, continuous time or discrete time, and single-endedor differential. For instance, if a signal path is shown as asingle-ended path, it also represents a differential signal path.Similarly, if a signal path is shown as a differential path, it alsorepresents a single-ended signal path. While one or more particulararchitectures are described herein, other architectures can likewise beimplemented that use one or more data buses not expressly shown, directconnectivity between elements, and/or indirect coupling between otherelements as recognized by one of average skill in the art.

The term “module” is used in the description of the various embodimentsof the present invention. A module includes a functional block that isimplemented via hardware to perform one or module functions such as theprocessing of one or more input signals to produce one or more outputsignals. The hardware that implements the module may itself operate inconjunction software, and/or firmware. As used herein, a module maycontain one or more sub-modules that themselves are modules.

While particular combinations of various functions and features of thepresent invention have been expressly described herein, othercombinations of these features and functions are likewise possible. Thepresent invention is not limited by the particular examples disclosedherein and expressly incorporates these other combinations.

What is claimed is:
 1. A communication device comprising: acommunication interface; and a processor, at least one of the processoror the communication interface configured to: select a combination offragments from a plurality of fragments based on at least onecharacteristic of a communication channel between the communicationdevice and another communication device that is located remotely fromthe communication device, wherein the plurality of fragments correspondto a plurality of segments of a signal stream based on a plurality ofbit rates; process the combination of fragments to generate an outputsignal that is representative of the signal stream; and transmit theoutput signal to the another communication device that is locatedremotely from the communication device via the communication channel. 2.The communication device of claim 1, wherein the another communicationdevice is a first other communication device, and wherein the at leastone of the processor or the communication interface is furtherconfigured to: select another combination of fragments from theplurality of fragments based on at least one characteristic of anothercommunication channel between the communication device and a secondother communication device; process the another combination of fragmentsto generate another output signal that is representative of the signalstream; and transmit the another output signal to the second othercommunication device via the another communication channel.
 3. Thecommunication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one of theprocessor or the communication interface is further configured to:select another combination of fragments from the plurality of fragmentsbased on a change of the at least one characteristic of thecommunication channel between the communication device and the anothercommunication device; process the another combination of fragments togenerate another output signal that is representative of the signalstream; and transmit the another output signal to the anothercommunication device via the communication channel.
 4. The communicationdevice of claim 1, wherein: a first fragment subset of the plurality offragments is based on a first bit rate of the plurality of bit rates andis representative of the signal stream at a first quality associatedwith the first bit rate; a second fragment subset of the plurality offragments is based on a second bit rate of the plurality of bit ratesand is representative of the signal stream at a second qualityassociated with the second bit rate; and at least two differentfragments of the plurality of fragments that are based on different bitrates of the plurality of bit rates, respectively, correspond to acommon segment of the plurality of segments of the signal stream.
 5. Thecommunication device of claim 1, wherein: the combination of fragmentsincludes a first fragment of the plurality of fragments that is based ona first bit rate of the plurality of bit rates and a second fragment ofthe plurality of fragments that is based on a second bit rate of theplurality of bit rates; and the combination of fragments isrepresentative of the signal stream at a quality associated with acombination of the first bit rate and the second bit rate.
 6. Thecommunication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristicof the communication channel includes at least one of a network thatincludes the communication channel, a bandwidth of the communicationchannel, a local operating condition of the communication device, or aremote operating condition of the another communication device.
 7. Thecommunication device of claim 1, wherein the another communicationdevice is a first other communication device, and further comprising: agateway communication device that is configured to receive the pluralityof fragments from a second other communication device that includes anadaptive bit rate (ABR) encoder via an Internet communication pathway.8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one of theprocessor or the communication interface is further configured to:support communications within at least one of a satellite communicationsystem, a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, afiber-optic communication system, or a mobile communication system.
 9. Acommunication device comprising: a communication interface; and aprocessor, at least one of the processor or the communication interfaceconfigured to: receive a plurality of fragments from a first othercommunication device that includes an adaptive bit rate (ABR) encodervia an Internet communication pathway, wherein the plurality offragments correspond to a plurality of segments of a signal stream basedon a plurality of bit rates; select a first combination of fragmentsfrom the plurality of fragments based on at least one characteristic ofa communication channel between the communication device and a secondother communication device that is located remotely from thecommunication device; process the combination of fragments to generate afirst portion of an output signal that is representative of the signalstream; transmit the first portion of the output signal to the secondother communication device that is located remotely from thecommunication device via the communication channel; select a secondcombination of fragments from the plurality of fragments based on achange of the at least one characteristic of the communication channelbetween the communication device and the second other communicationdevice that is located remotely from the communication device; processthe second combination of fragments to generate a second portion of theoutput signal that is representative of the signal stream; and transmitthe second portion of the output signal to the second othercommunication device that is located remotely from the communicationdevice via the communication channel.
 10. The communication device ofclaim 9, wherein the at least one of the processor or the communicationinterface is further configured to: select another combination offragments from the plurality of fragments based on at least onecharacteristic of another communication channel between thecommunication device and the second other communication device; processthe another combination of fragments to generate another output signalthat is representative of the signal stream; and transmit the anotheroutput signal to the second other communication device via the anothercommunication channel.
 11. The communication device of claim 9, wherein:a first fragment subset of the plurality of fragments is based on afirst bit rate of the plurality of bit rates and is representative ofthe signal stream at a first quality associated with the first bit rate;a second fragment subset of the plurality of fragments is based on asecond bit rate of the plurality of bit rates and is representative ofthe signal stream at a second quality associated with the second bitrate; and at least two different fragments of the plurality of fragmentsthat are based on different bit rates of the plurality of bit rates,respectively, correspond to a common segment of the plurality ofsegments of the signal stream.
 12. The communication device of claim 9,wherein the at least one characteristic of the communication channelincludes at least one of a network that includes the communicationchannel, a bandwidth of the communication channel, a local operatingcondition of the communication device, or a remote operating conditionof the second other communication device.
 13. The communication deviceof claim 9, wherein the at least one of the processor or thecommunication interface is further configured to: support communicationswithin at least one of a satellite communication system, a wirelesscommunication system, a wired communication system, a fiber-opticcommunication system, or a mobile communication system.
 14. A method forexecution by a communication device, the method comprising: selecting acombination of fragments from a plurality of fragments based on at leastone characteristic of a communication channel between the communicationdevice and another communication device that is located remotely fromthe communication device, wherein the plurality of fragments correspondto a plurality of segments of a signal stream based on a plurality ofbit rates; processing the combination of fragments to generate an outputsignal that is representative of the signal stream; and transmitting,via a communication interface of the communication device, the outputsignal to the another communication device that is located remotely fromthe communication device via the communication channel.
 15. The methodof claim 14, wherein the another communication device is a first othercommunication device, and further comprising: selecting anothercombination of fragments from the plurality of fragments based on atleast one characteristic of another communication channel between thecommunication device and a second other communication device; processingthe another combination of fragments to generate another output signalthat is representative of the signal stream; and transmitting, via thecommunication interface of the communication device, the another outputsignal to the second other communication device via the anothercommunication channel.
 16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:selecting another combination of fragments from the plurality offragments based on a change of the at least one characteristic of thecommunication channel between the communication device and the anothercommunication device; processing the another combination of fragments togenerate another output signal that is representative of the signalstream; and transmitting, via the communication interface of thecommunication device, the another output signal to the anothercommunication device via the communication channel.
 17. The method ofclaim 14, wherein: a first fragment subset of the plurality of fragmentsis based on a first bit rate of the plurality of bit rates and isrepresentative of the signal stream at a first quality associated withthe first bit rate; a second fragment subset of the plurality offragments is based on a second bit rate of the plurality of bit ratesand is representative of the signal stream at a second qualityassociated with the second bit rate; and at least two differentfragments of the plurality of fragments that are based on different bitrates of the plurality of bit rates, respectively, correspond to acommon segment of the plurality of segments of the signal stream. 18.The method of claim 14, wherein: the combination of fragments includes afirst fragment of the plurality of fragments that is based on a firstbit rate of the plurality of bit rates and a second fragment of theplurality of fragments that is based on a second bit rate of theplurality of bit rates; and the combination of fragments isrepresentative of the signal stream at a quality associated with acombination of the first bit rate and the second bit rate.
 19. Themethod of claim 14, wherein the at least one characteristic of thecommunication channel includes at least one of a network that includesthe communication channel, a bandwidth of the communication channel, alocal operating condition of the communication device, or a remoteoperating condition of the another communication device.
 20. The methodof claim 14 further comprising: operating the communication interface ofthe communication device to support communications within at least oneof a satellite communication system, a wireless communication system, awired communication system, a fiber-optic communication system, or amobile communication system.